Art + Audience Podcast: Ep. 17 – Why Your Art Isn’t Selling (and How to Fix It) with Brooke Glazer

Released on December 24, 2024

Introduction

In Episode 17 of the Art + Audience podcast, host Stacie Bloomfield sits down with renowned illustrator and educator Brooke Glazer to delve into the common pitfalls artists face when trying to sell their work and the strategies to overcome these challenges. This episode is a treasure trove of insights for artists striving to transform their passion into a profitable and sustainable career.

Brooke Glazer: From Struggles to Success

Background and Early Challenges

Brooke Glazer opens up about her tumultuous journey in the art world. Despite her talent, she faced significant hurdles right after college:

"[...] I graduated into a recession and no one was going to hire me to do the kind of artistic work that I wanted to do." ([03:44])

Determined to pursue her passion, Brooke embarked on her first business venture—creating handmade greeting cards. While she achieved some success, getting her products into seven stores across two states within a year, she grappled with scalability and financial sustainability.

Lessons from Initial Failures

Brooke candidly shares her early mistakes, emphasizing the critical lesson that quantity does not equate to quality:

"Quantity does not equal quality. [...] That woman had an extremely curated, small collection of great work, whereas I had a bunch of work that was just really varying quality." ([08:10])

This realization became a turning point, steering her towards a more strategic approach in her artistic endeavors.

The Trade Show Experience: A Crucial Learning Curve

Expectations vs. Reality

Brooke recounts her experience attending a high-stakes trade show in New York City, where she expected to make significant sales:

"By the second day of the show, the woman across from me who only had a handful of pieces, had almost sold out of her art while I had failed to sell a single piece." ([00:48])

This initial setback was a devastating blow, leading her to question the viability of her business model.

Analyzing the Failure

Instead of succumbing to despair, Brooke adopted a reflective approach:

"What was the difference between me and that woman who was across from me that had so few pieces?" ([07:06])

Through this introspection, she identified the importance of a curated portfolio and the pitfalls of overcrowding her booth with mediocre work.

Strategic Transformation: Quality Over Quantity

Curating a Targeted Portfolio

Brooke shifted her focus to showcasing a select number of high-quality pieces tailored to her target market. She illustrates this with her collaboration with a children's apparel company:

"I developed a couple of pieces, really basic. They weren't, like, super, super fancy, but, you know, the theme was nursery rhymes. And I used really calm, neutral colors." ([09:02])

This strategic alignment with the client's brand aesthetics led to rapid sales and positive customer reception.

Thoughtful Client-Centric Creation

Stacie emphasizes the importance of understanding the client's ideal customer and creating art that resonates with them:

"You were so smart to think about, okay, what is the emotion that their customer, this baby apparel plays? What are their customers going to feel?" ([10:19])

Brooke agrees, highlighting the necessity of balancing personal artistic expression with market demands:

"I reuse elements of things. [...] Sometimes I have to adjust it a little bit so that it would work well for that company." ([12:42])

Embracing Failure as a Learning Tool

Resilience and Adaptation

Both hosts underscore the inevitability of failure in the creative journey. Brooke reflects on her continued participation in trade shows despite initial setbacks:

"Learning to deal with failure is an essential thing to deal with as a professional artist or just like an artist in general." ([15:06])

She emphasizes the importance of perseverance and learning from each experience:

"Failure is just research unless you never try again." ([25:06])

Continuous Improvement

Brooke discusses her commitment to ongoing learning and adaptation, ensuring that each setback becomes a stepping stone to success:

"I learned how to do things better. By doing things I wasn't necessarily prepared to do." ([16:58])

Educating and Empowering Fellow Artists

Illustrator's Launchpad Program

Brooke introduces her program, the Illustrator's Launchpad, designed to help artists enhance their skills and business acumen. She shares valuable resources aimed at improving artistic quality and business strategies:

"We help artists learn how to make good art because that's kind of the basis of it." ([20:13])

Teaching Curated Taste and Artistic Fundamentals

Stacie and Brooke discuss the importance of cultivating a discerning eye and mastering the fundamentals of drawing to create compelling art:

"Understanding the basics of how to draw anything really does set you forward to be able to create beautiful art." ([24:13])

Brooke elaborates on practical methods to streamline the art-making process, making it more efficient and effective:

"There are definitely methods that can speed that up for you." ([24:35])

Key Takeaways and Conclusion

Strategic Focus and Quality Control

The episode reinforces the significance of prioritizing quality over quantity and tailoring one's work to align with client needs and market demands. Brooke's journey exemplifies how strategic adjustments can transform an artist's business trajectory.

Resilience and Continuous Learning

Embracing failure as a learning opportunity is crucial. Brooke's story is a testament to the power of resilience and the importance of continuous improvement in the face of adversity.

Community and Feedback

Surrounding oneself with a supportive community and seeking constructive feedback are essential for growth. Brooke highlights the role of collaborative environments in fostering artistic and business development.

Final Thoughts

Stacie wraps up the episode by encouraging artists to subscribe, share the podcast, and engage with their community for ongoing support and learning.

"Everything is just a learning process unless you only do it once." ([25:10])

Brooke's candid discussions and actionable insights make this episode an invaluable resource for artists seeking to enhance their sales and build a thriving art business.

Notable Quotes:

• "Quantity does not equal quality." – Brooke Glazer ([08:10])
• "Failure is just research unless you never try again." – Brooke Glazer ([25:06])
• "Everything is just a learning process unless you only do it once." – Stacie Bloomfield ([25:10])

For more insights and resources, visit Brooke Glazer's website and explore her YouTube channel for free tutorials and advice.